All Or Nothing
by Echo1317
Summary: Currently being re-written, this will be deleted soon.
1. Preface

This story is absolute crap. I am warning you now. I wrote this little piece, the preface, a few weeks ago, and I decided to turn it into a story with- gasp- chapters! This is my first long fic for The Mortal Instruments, so please don't judge it too harshly. **

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**Preface**

"Who do you think you are?" Jace asked the demon. It roared with fury as he lunged towards it. He missed, and the demon grabbed for him with it's meaty hands. Jace laughed.

"You can't honestly think you can win with that pea-sized brain of yours," He taunted, "Why, I don't-"

Jace was cut off as the demon took him by the ankles and swung him upside down. _Well, that's the price I pay for being cocky,_ Jace thought morbidly as the demon shook him up and down. All the weapons he had been hiding in his pockets fell to the floor below him. Oh, shit. He was in trouble now.

"Stupid Shadowhunter," The thing growled, "You not watching."

"I was too watching!" Jace said defensively, even though he knew he shouldn't, "I was watching your idiot face while you tried to think. It looked like it hurt!"

The demon growled again, swinging Jace back and forth. He was dizzy and disoriented. This wasn't quite how he had pictured his death. In his head, there were more demons, and he was saying something heroic, laying down his life for someone he loved. Not being tossed around by this idiot.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with your food?" A voice spoke with a thick Australian accent. Jace tried to turn his head to see who it was, but he couldn't quite find them. The demon turned sharply to find his new enemy, and was greeted by a seraph blade that went directly through his head. He toppled over, folding in on himself until Jace was free from his grasp and the demon was gone.

"You're an idiot," The voice said. Jace looked up. A girl was standing over him, dressed in Shadowhunter black, holding a long dagger in her hand. Her face was sharp and angular, but with a quiet softness to it. She had her short brown hair pulled back in a small ponytail, several locks of it spread out and floating freely around her face. Thick bangs hung down in front of one of her eyes, which were a stunning shade of hazel. She held out her hand to help him up. He took it, stumbling a little as he tried to regain his balance. The girl smirked.

"Thanks," Jace muttered. He was grateful that she had saved his life, but equally embarrassed to have been caught by the demon. "I don't think I've seen you around here before, have I?""No, you probably haven't," The girl said, "I'm Rachel Chase. Pleased to meet you."

"Jace Wayland." They shook hands, and began collecting Jace's gear off the ground where it had spilled.

"So, Rachel, where are you from?" Jace asked curiously. When there was no reply, he straightened up and looked around. There was not a soul in sight, but most of his weapons were sitting in a small pile a few yards away. Jace picked up the objects and found a small piece of folded paper under them.

_If you're ever in Jersey, give me a call.  
555-555-5555  
-Rachel Chase_

Something I feel I should point out now is that Rachel Chase is related to Robert Chase from _House_. She is my OC, an imaginary friend I made up a while ago. Robery will be showing up in future chapters, but you don't necessarily need to be a House fan to understand the story. The parts with Robert will just be to explain a little more about Rachel's past and give some insight into her character. If, however, you feel like you need to get to know Robert to understand the story better, you can find a bio page about him here: or /wiki/Robert_Chase . I am a HUGE fan of Dr. Chase. ;)

Thanks for reading, and please review!

-Echo1317

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	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Jace walked up the steps of the Institute in a foul mood. He had searched for hours, but none of the other-worldly inhabitants in the area had seen or heard of Rachel Chase. He wasn't exactly sure why he was even looking for her. To thank her? To make friends with her? To make out with her? He couldn't tell why he was so eager to get in touch with her. He had tried calling the number she left, but no one picked up the phone.

The front doors swung open and Jace walked inside. He opened the elevator and operated it like clockwork, as he had done since he came to live here 6 years ago. It lurched upwards, and he felt it's rickety frame shudder. When he stepped out of it, he was greeted by a verbal attack.

"Where have you been all day?""Do you know how worried we were? I'm going to kill you!"

"Jeez, guys! Relax," Jace said, pushing past Alec and Isabelle. He hung his coat on the coat rack, trying desperately to come up with an excuse for why he was barely getting home at eleven at night. "I was… busy.""Ok, there are two things you've been doing when you say you've been busy," Isabelle said reproachfully, "You've either been beaten up by a demon, or you've been having sex with some girl.""Izzy!" Alec gasped, "You can't just go around accusing people of stuff like that!"

"Why not?" Jace asked, "She's right." Alec frowned at him. Why did Jace have to undo anything he'd accomplished with Isabelle? At 15, she was very impressionable, and he shouldn't be instilling all these profanities in her head. Jace sighed and relayed the story of how he had been saved by the mysterious girl, and how he'd been trying to find her.

"Well, you could always ask Magnus Bane," Isabelle suggested, "He's having a party tonight. Alec said we couldn't go, but if it helps you find Rachel…"

Alec shook his head forcefully. No. He was not about to let his little sister go to a crazy warlock's party to do God knows what while Jace looked for some girl he barely knew who probably wouldn't be there anyway. Jace grinned.

"A party sounds great, Izzy," Jace said, "Let's go-"

"Not a chance!" Alec exploded, "I am still the oldest out of the three of us, and I say no. In any case, Hodge would never let us, and even if he did, mom and dad would kill us when they found out!"

"Don't be such a spoil sport, Alec!" Isabelle said unhappily, putting on her best puppy dog eyes, "Please, can we go? Please, please, please?"

Oh, the puppy dog eyes. Even without the fact that you could guilt trip Alec into just about anything, the puppy dog eyes would crush just about anyone's resolve. Alec looked at his sister's sad face, and his shoulders slumped.

"Fine," He muttered. Isabelle smiled jubilantly, and Jace smirked. "But the second the trouble starts…"

"We're out of there!" Isabelle finished for him. She hugged him tightly, squealing thank you's. "I can wear that dress you bought me today!"

"That was a _dress_?" Alec said, "I thought that was a shirt! You can't wear that!"

But Isabelle was already halfway down the hall, and far out of earshot. Jace laughed at Alec's look of panic as he walked to the weapons room.

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Do you like it so far? The next chapter will be about Rachel, and where she disappeared to when she left Jace.

-Echo1317


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Rachel was used to sneaking in and out of her brother's apartment. It wasn't very hard, except that he lived on the sixth floor, and she had to climb up the fire escape to get to his living room window. She stayed with him often enough to know that the window would be unlocked; even if it wasn't, any mildly skilled burglar could shimmy it open. While Rachel was not a burglar, she was without a doubt skilled, and she slid into the building with the greatest of ease.

A light came on immediately, and Robert Chase was revealed to be sitting in an armchair directly across from the window. Even though they were siblings, Rachel and Robert looked almost nothing alike. Her features were sharp, and his were soft. Her hair was dark, his was pale blond. Her eyes were hazel, and his were blue. The only thing that might tell you that they were related was the cold, steely glare that they both gave when they were upset or trying to cover something up, as well as their short tempers and stubbornness. Robert looked tired and worried at the moment; he had dark purple shadows under his eyes, and the lines on his young face were prominent in the dim light. His sister could tell that he was angry with her.

"Hey, big brother," Rachel chuckled nervously, "How've you been?" Robert made no noise, just closed his eyes and brought his hand up to his head to massage his temple. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet and unforgiving.

"Do you have any idea," He said icily, "How worried I was when you didn't come home?"

"I'm so sorry, Robert," Rachel whispered. She knew how much her 'profession' worried her brother, and how hard it was for him to live with it. "I was in New York on business, and- "

"Business?" Robert snorted, getting up out of the chair to pace the floor, "That's what you call it? The last time I checked, demon hunting wasn't a business, it was a lifestyle, and a damn dangerous one at that- "

"Hey!" Rachel interrupted him, "You were the one who chose to give up this life, ok? Not me!"

"Chose this? Do you honestly think I _chose_ to become a mundane?" Robert asked her angrily, "I didn't get to choose anything! The Clave stripped me of my Marks because I was too busy taking care of _our mum_ to fight when they said I had to!"

"Bull shit!" Rachel retorted, "The Clave stripped you of your Marks because you decided that trying to save mum was more important than trying to save humanity. And guess what?" She glared at him, prepared to feel the intense satisfaction of the next blow she was about to deliver, "You failed at both."

Robert gave away no emotion, but stopped dead in his tracks. He raised a shaking finger and pointed down the short hallway.

"Go to your room," He ordered her in a dangerously low voice, "Now."

Rachel stormed past her brother, quickly carving an unlocking rune in her door before opening it. She locked it after her, and then collapsed on her bed. She threw her bag on the desk chair and stripped off her socks, shoes, and jeans. Her unmade bed was comfortable and familiar as she slid under the covers, and it smelled like home. The feeling of satisfaction she expected never came, just an overwhelming sense of guilt at the pain she had caused Robert to endure.

Quietly, Rachel looked around her bedroom walls. They were painted black, but you could hardly see them through all the posters and pictures that covered them. A few of her favorite quotes, some song lyrics, some book covers, a French 'Planet Of The Apes' poster- but mostly pictures. There were pictures of everything; her and Robert, the hospital Robert worked at, Robert's co-workers (who were practically Rachel's own family by now). There were also pictures of Idris*, the green hills and clear blue sky, and the Glass City from a distance. How she missed Alicante. She had only been there three times: Once when her mother died, once when she needed supplies from the town, and once most recently when her father died. It had been bittersweet, her father's funeral. She was happy to be back in Idris, where all Shadowhunters felt more at home than anywhere else in the world, but sad as well- not so much because of her father, but because Robert was not there, and would never be able to set foot in the Shadowhunter country again.

That night, Rachel fell asleep with tears in her eyes and awful clouds in her head.

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*The way I understood the book was that electronics didn't work in the Glass City, but they could be used in the rest of Idris. I have nol idea if this is true or not, but I wanted her to have some connection to Idris in her room so that I could get some more info about her out there.

I think I really like where this story is going! I got a bunch of great ideas when my mom and I went to the movies today, and I was trying to write them down in the dark theatre, which didn't work out so well (it looked like my 4 year old cousin had scribbled on my notebook). I might post one more chapter today, if I get it done. Thank you for reading!

-Echo1317


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Magnus Bane's apartment was loud, crowded, and dark.

Strobe lights were the only source of illumination in the place, and there were bodies crammed everywhere. They moved with the beat of the music, a fairy band somewhere in the midst of the chaos. Jace, Alec, and Isabelle seemed to be some of the last guests arriving, as some of the partygoers were leaving as they walked in.

"Do you have any idea what Bane looks like, Izzy? Izzy?" Alec said as he looked around, finally spotting his sister deep in conversation with a biker vampire with a gold hoop in his ear. Their heads were dangerously close together. "Isabelle Lightwood! You get away from him _right__now_, young lady!"

Jace chuckled at Alec's overprotective-ness. Isabelle was growing up way too quickly for his liking, but she didn't seem too concerned about it. As Alec stormed over to separate his sister and the Downworlder, Jace scanned the room for anyone who looked like they could be a warlock. He didn't have to look long before his target found him.

"And what might we have here?" Magnus drawled. Jace was immediately startled by his appearance. His hair was tall and spiked, black but covered with what looked like indigo paint. His t-shirt was cut jaggedly along the bottom, exposing his stomach ever so slightly, and he was wearing blue and white tiger print jeans.

"Can I help you with something, Shadowhunter? I don't recall inviting you, and unless you're here to crash my party…" Magnus said, folding his arms across his chest. Blue sparks shimmered threateningly on his fingertips, and Jace tensed.

"I'm not looking for any trouble," Jace told him calmly, "We just need some information."

"Any information of mine is going to cost you," Magnus said, "And who is this 'we' you speak of?"

Jace took a wad of cash out of his shirt pocket. Magnus took it readily, counting it before shoving it in the pocket of his jeans. He momentarily turned to address the crowd.

"Alright!" He shouted, his voice magically amplified, "Everybody _out_!" The people listened, by their own accord or not Jace didn't know. Alec appeared out of the mass of people, holding an unhappy looking Isabelle by her shoulders in front of him.

"She was about to go home with that vampire!" He sputtered angrily, "Can you believe that? I thought I taught you better than to-"

"I wasn't actually gonna do it!" Isabelle said stubbornly, yanking herself out of Alec's grasp. Magnus eyed Alec hungrily.

"What is it that you wanted to know about?" Magnus asked Jace, tearing his eyes away from Alec.

"What can you tell me about Rachel Chase?" Jace said. Magnus's glittering cat eyes narrowed, and he pulled out the money Jace had given him.

"Oh, you don't play fair," He complained, thrusting the cash back at Jace, "Rachel would kill me if she knew I was accepting money for information about her."

"So you can't help us?" Jace said disappointedly. Magnus seemed to think for a moment, then take pity on the gold Shadowhunter boy.

"She lives in New Jersey," Magnus told Jace, "Her brother works at the Princeton-Plainsboro hospital as a diagnostician." Jace smiled happily, and held out his hand.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Bane," He said as Magnus shook his hand.

"No problem, dear," He said, "But I'll warn you now- she's not interested."

"Pardon me?" Jace said curiously. Alec and Isabelle were already half way out the door, so he'd have to hurry if he wanted to keep up with them.

"She won't be interested in a relationship with you," Magnus clarified, "No matter what you think you can offer her."

Jace was about to make a snide comment, but Alec called for him, and he left with a back words glance at Magnus. The warlock smiled sympathetically, waving after him. When he locked the door after Jace, he chuckled quietly to himself. Poor boy. Another one caught under Rachel's spell. Hopefully, he wouldn't be too crushed by the end of the ordeal.

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Uh oh! Why won't Rachel want Jace? (In my opinion, she's completely insane.) Stay tuned in to find out!

-Echo1317

P.S. I meant to put this in on the last chapter, but about the French Planet of The Apes poster in Rachel's room: whoever can tell me who (and on what show) has this poster in their office gets a prize! (I havn't decided what the prize is, though.) I'll give you a hint: The show has several quotes from it on my profile page. :)


	5. Chapter 4

When Rachel woke up the next morning, she was still tired. Sleep had come, but it hadn't lifted the feeling of dread she had at facing her brother at breakfast. She dresses quickly, in black but not the Shadowhunter's uniform, weapons still hidden carefully on her. She slipped her bag over her shoulder, and she braced herself for a conversation she did not want to have. She walked silently down the hall to the tiny kitchen, only to find a note on the kitchen counter that was tacked to an apple.

_Sorry I missed breakfast. House called me in early. Eat this if you don't want to cook. -Robert_

Rachel sighed, kicking herself for not seeing this coming. One thing you could count on from Robert was that he would avoid uncomfortable conversations like the plague. She decided that she would confront him at work, where he couldn't' run away from her. Grabbing her keys and the apple, Rachel headed for the window- it was easier than having to lock the door.

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Princeton-Plainsboro teaching hospital was a nice looking place. Its glass doors and windows made it open and airy, and it's deign was remarkable. It would be a quiet place, except for one doctor-

"No, Dr. Cuddy! I don't want to go back to your place!" Dr. House shouted, even though Cuddy was right next to him. She sighed and put her hands on her hips. His childish antics were getting to her.

"I really wish you wouldn't do that," Cuddy told him impatiently. House limped down the hallway, Cuddy chasing after him.

"And I wish you would wear tops like that all the time," He said, gesturing o a woman with a very low cut blouse, "I don't think either is going to happen."

They turned the corner and were in view of House's office. An unfamiliar blond head was looking at the degrees on the wall. Cuddy was still ranting in his ear, but House ignored her and focused on the boy. He was tall and lanky, muscled but not like a body-builder. His hair was not too long, but it was not short enough that the boy could get away without running a comb through it to smooth it down. He had a peculiar tattoo on his neck, quite like the ones Rachel Chase had. House walked away from Cuddy, leaving her open mouthed and frustrated as she stormed away. House opened the door noisily and startled the boy, who turned to look at him.

"Are you here for the view? Or to annoy me?" House asked him, "It doesn't really matter; I'm going to throw you out either way."

"Are you Dr. Chase?" The boy asked.

"Oh, if only I was. I'd kill for his golden locks," House said sarcastically, walking around the boy to sit at his desk, "Who wants to know?"

"Jace Wayland," The boy said, holding his hand out for House to shake. House just glanced at it, then popped two small white pills in his mouth. Jace withdrew his hand, and House just stared at him, trying to figure out why he was there, and what he wanted with Chase.

Rachel Chase turned the corner and came into view in front of the window wall. She stopped dead when she saw Jace, and House looked at her curiously. She shook her head quickly, warning him not to give away her presence. She was gone by the time, Jace turned around to see what House was looking at.

"Ask Dr. Wilson," House told Jace, "He'll be on the third floor in radiology. He probably knows where Chase ran off to. Tell him Foreman sent you."

"Thanks," ace said, walking back out of the office,. A second later, Rachel came in and sat down in front of House's desk. She groaned and sunk down in the chair.

"New boy toy, Rachel?" House teased, "You naughty girl. What would Chase think?"

"He's _not_ mine!" Rachel said hotly, "I met him when I was in New York the other day, and I gave him my number. I didn't expect him to _come_ here!"

"Are you kidding me?" House said, "Good thing I sent him to the third floor radiology department."

"Radiology is on the second floor," Rachel said confusedly. House winked at her.

"Exactly," He said. Rachel chuckled and relaxed a little. She got up and unlatched one of the big windows, swinging her legs over the edge. "What the hell are you doing, Rachel?!"

"Well, I'm not going to risk bumping into him at the elevator," She explained, "Tell Robert I stopped by, 'kay? Thanks!" -And she dropped down into the parking lot.

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I decided that the prize for the contest is a fic about Rachel and Robert as they are growing up. I hope you liked this chapter, it was fun to write because of House.

-Echo1317


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

By the time Jace realized that there was no third floor radiology department and backtracked, the man he had figured out was not Dr. Foreman was no longer in his office.

"Damn," Jace muttered, turning to leave. He was met at the door by a young doctor with a metal clipboard in his hands.

"Can I help you?" The man said with an accent similar to Rachel's. Jace smirked.

"Actually, I think you can," He said, "Are you Dr. Chase?"

"Yes," Chase said, narrowing his eyes, "You're one of the Nephilim, aren't you?"

Jace introduced himself and quickly relayed the story of how he'd met Rachel. When he finished, Robert had gone pale, and wore an angry expression on his face.

"I don't know why you're here," Chase said coolly, "Or what you want with Rachel. But you need to stay away from my little sister."

"Why?" Jace asked incredulously, "Don't you think it's important for her to have some sort of connection with other Shadowhunters?"

"I never wanted that life for her," Chase explained quietly, "She's a child. She shouldn't have to be subjected to the trials of your world." There was a momentary silence as he exhaled tiredly. "Go home, Jace. I don't know where she is."

Chase walked away, leaving Jace with even more questions than he had come with.

***

Meanwhile, Rachel was on her way to Magnus Bane's apartment. She'd spent a lot of time there when she was younger, and she knew the way there well. Instead of ringing the bell, she used her key, which he'd given her when she was 13. The apartment was empty, which she had expected at this time of day, and she dumped her things on the kitchen table before she crashed on the couch. She had gone back home and packed a small bag so she could stay overnight. She was sure Magnus wouldn't mind; she showed up unannounced more often than she'd called before coming. Hopefully, Jace wouldn't think to look for her at the warlock's flat. She idly let her thoughts linger on the boy whose life she had saved. Chairman Meow, Magnus's fluffy little cat, leapt onto her lap and she gently stroked his fur.

Even as a Shadowhunter, Jace was all gold. Light seemed to radiate off him, which was like a magnetic pull for Rachel, who had spent so much of her life in the dark. It seemed as though the sun shone through him. He made everything brighter, happier, and more bearable; she could tell that even though she'd only met him twice. Jace was pale, gold, and beautiful, and there was only one thing in the world she wanted as much as she wanted him- and she was already a Shadowhunter, which left just him.

She didn't understand why she'd given him her number, or even her name. She was a solitary being; she _liked_ to work alone. She didn't have boyfriends, or relationships, or flings, or one night stands. She had demons and she had the hunt. The only people who had any sort of hold on her, that it would push her to her breaking point to loose, were Robert and Magnus. She held no other permanent attachments. She had learned a long time ago that once you loved someone enough, it was usually the time that they decided to go away.

Rachel slowly drifted into an uneasy sleep once again, her dreams filled with pictures of angels and fluffy cats.

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This chapter may be short, but it is important. It raises questions- how does Rachel know Magnus? Why has she spent so much time with him, so much that she has her own key? Why is she still avoiding Jace? Why does she say she has spent so much time in the dark? Why has no one taken the time to enter the contest yet? I wrote this whole long story about Rachel's past as the prize, which I am now going to post at the end of this story because I decided it was good enough to post for everyone. But, never fear, I will do something else for the contest. Perhaps I will give the winner a guest spot in the story, or write a whole other story about the winner and the characters from the Mortal Instruments... yeah, I like the second one, that is now the official prize!  
Sorry for the long note, I get over excited sometimes. :)

-Echo1317


	7. Chapter 6

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! I had like no ideas on how to get to this spot, so it took a while. Here it is, hot off the press! (or something like that...)

**

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Chapter 6**

Jace fought with himself for 3 full hours before deciding to go back to Magnus Bane's apartment. When he got there, he stood outside the door for forty five minutes before walking down the street to hail a cab to take him back to the institute, only to find himself ordering the cab driver to take him back to Bane's apartment. He knocked swiftly three times, before he lost his nerve and walked away again. There was a hasty shuffling as someone scrambled to get the door. The person who answered was not, in fact, Magnus Bane, but a certain dark-haired Shadowhunter girl whose blurred, sleepy eyes narrowed at the sight of Jace. She muttered the only two words that seemed to sum up her thoughts at that moment.

"Oh, fuck."

* * *

The pair stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Rachel broke the silence by sighing audibly.

"What are you doing here, Jace?" She said in a stony voice. He smirked, doing the only thing he could think of to hide his nervous state.

"Aren't you elated to see me?" He asked her, "Most girls are."

"I'm not most girls," Rachel reminded him. She looked him in the eye and wondered what she'd see there. Love? Lust? She sincerely hoped it was the latter. it would be easier to deal with. But she saw neither of those, only longing and uncertainty, which scared her more than either of her other assumptions. She gingerly aside against her better judgment. "Do you want to come in?"

Jace nodded, and walked through the doorway like he owned the place. The way he held himself showed confidence and arrogance. He definitely thought a lot of himself, and there was not an ounce of humility in his movements or his expression. He probably thought he was as good as, if not better than, the Angel himself. it was enough to make Rachel want to vomit.

"I'll be right back," She told him, closing the door and then heading for the kitchen. She grabbed her black backpack off the table and rushed to her room (yes, she was there so frequently that she had her own room). She hastily made her way to her bathroom, where she rummaged through a scarcely used make-up drawer, which was full of eye liners and eye shadows, and lip glosses, and other things she couldn't even identify that Magnus had bought for her years ago. She was sure that he had hoped to open up her "feminine side" with these items, but it hadn't done a thing. At the moment, she wasn't even sure she even knew how to apply make-up. Robert had always said that she looked beautiful without any on, but he was her brother, he _had_ to say that, and she didn't care so much about her appearance until now. She quickly uncapped an eyeliner pen, running it lightly along her eyes, and praying that she wouldn't slip and accidentally stab herself with it. Suddenly, Magnus's voice popped into her head, and his instructions for how to smear the eye stuff came screaming back to her.

_"No, no! Like this! No! You're doing it completely wrong! Give me that..."_ She could hear him saying- yelling. She chuckled. She dabbed on a very thin coat of a red-tinted lip gloss that had been lying right next to the pen. When she stepped back and looked at herself, she let out a quick gasp. She actually looked... pretty.

Rachel smoothed her hair with a brush that was on the counter, and then made her way back downstairs to Jace. Her heart was beating a little faster at the thought of him right there, and she breathed in deeply to calm herself. Was this what a crush felt like? Or was this something else? Something smaller or bigger? She had no idea.

When she walked into the living room, she found Jace looking at a small cluster of pictures of her that Magnus had put up. He thought she looked like an angel dressed in black, her hazel eyes glittering and mischievous.

"Let's play a game," Rachel suggested, walking past Jace to a bar that held all of Magnus's alcoholic beverages. He watched as she piled various bottles of liquor atop the counter, finally pulling out a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniel's. She drank whiskey? God, she was perfect.

Jace slowly followed her as she climbed up a small set of narrow, rickety stairs. After quite a while, she opened a door, and he realized that they were headed for the roof. Dusk had enveloped the city, and you could see the sky being painted all shades of pink and orange and yellow. It was made even more beautiful by her presence, Jace thought, and in his mind he was right.

"Come. Sit," Rachel commanded, motioning to a puffy, faded blanket that was lying out near the edge of the roof. He followed her lead and sat down. She pulled two small shot glasses out of her pocket, and she set one in front of each of them.

"What kind of game shall we play?" Jace asked, folding his legs, "Quarters?"

"Not this time," Rachel told him, "This is a game that, at one point, had a name, which I forgot. But here's how you play:

"For every shot you take, you get to ask me one question, and for every shot I take, I get to ask you one question. Sound good?"

"Fine by me," Jace smirked. She filled his glass and he threw it back, swallowing any fears he had about that night down with the bitter drink.

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Oh yeah! I like where this is headed... Hmmm... Review please!


	8. Chapter 7

Ok, I wrote this last night after I got off the computer because I was so excited! Here's chapter 7...

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**Chapter 7**

"How do you know Bane? Judging by the pictures I saw, you two are good buddies," Jace asked, shaking his head to clear it. Rachel smirked and chuckled quietly.

"He's an old friend, he practically raised me along with my brother. He helped get me my first Marks, helped train me, and he taught me almost everything I know about the Shadow world," She shrugged, letting her hair fall into her face, "He's family."

As she went to reach for the bottle of whiskey, she found that Jace already had it. He tossed back another shot, almost choking on it in his hurry.

"What happened to your parents?" He said, curiosity burning in his eyes.

"They're both dead. My father ran off when I was five, passed away about a year ago, and my mother drank herself to death by the time I was seven. Robert moved us to New York so that we could be closer to Magnus, so he could watch me when Robert couldn't," Rachel explained. She brought her knees up to her chest and looked away from Jace's expression, which was full of pity she didn't want. When she turned back to him, he was drinking again, and she hadn't even had time to see the bottle move.

"Sorry," Jace mumbled, "What's the deal with you and your brother?"

"He likes to say he doesn't hate me… He thinks I'm throwing away my life, and that I'm an ungrateful little brat. He wanted me to have a normal life, in the mundane world, but that wasn't what I wanted. I went behind his back when I was thirteen to get my Marks, and he never forgave me for it. Robert was stripped of his Marks when he was seventeen. He was so obsessed with trying to be responsible for both me and our mum, especially after she started drinking, that he didn't do his work for the Clave any more. It killed him to loose all of it," She said quietly. Jace studied her as intently as he could, making sure he wasn't hurting her with his questions. Rachel sighed. "It killed him even more when he realized he not only couldn't, but didn't, save our mum, and he grasped the fact that he gave everything up anyway."

Jace still had more he wanted to know. He swept up the bottle before Rachel could, pouring himself another shot. She stared at him with unbelieving eyes as he drank again.

"For the love of the Angel, slow down!" She told him, a small smile on her face. He grinned goofily back at her.

"Who are you?" He asked, his words slurring. Rachel giggled, and he reveled at such a pure sound.

"I'm no one," She stated. Their eyes locked as he reached once more for the bottle.

"No you're not," He whispered. There was something in his voice that hadn't been there before; or rather something it was missing. For the first time in front of Rachel, Jace spoke with sincerity, his words void of sarcasm or defense. He sounded like an angel, and, in her opinion, resembled one, too.

He brought the bottle to his lips and drank down the last ounce of liquid. His vision had become hazy, as well as his thoughts. It took all he had in him not to pass out or throw up all over her.

"Do you like me? Could you ever be with me?" Jace said desperately. He knew what her answer would be, but he asked anyhow.

"That's two questions," Rachel whispered, her eyes wide. Okay, so maybe he hadn't known she was going to say _that_. He rephrased his query.

"Do you want me as much as I want you?"

There was a long silence as Rachel watched the cityscape. It was past dark now, everything shimmered around them. If she told him the truth, would it hurt them both too much? Would a lie be worse? Would she be able to stand the pain in his eyes? She decided on the truth, because she owed him at least that much.

"I think I could love you, Jace," Rachel said, her voice barely above a whisper and her eyes still on the lights, "But I've learned that in our world, you can either care about someone, or you can fight. And right now, I choose to fight."

Once again, the silence was deafening. When Rachel finally let herself look at Jace, she let out a bitter laugh. He was slumped back against the wall, passed out and open mouthed. In any other situation, she would've found the sight funny. Very carefully, so as not to wake him up, Rachel moved to sit next to him. She lightly leaned her head on his shoulder, and she felt the warmth of his skin. It seemed like it would be enough just to be touching him. He smelled like sunlight and soap and Marks, and she loved it. She gently folded herself up and hid her face, crying harder than she ever remembered crying before.

* * *

sad, sad ending to this chapter. i know it seems kind of short, but her answers are longer when i type them on word. you all had better love me a whole lot, because i had to write this chapter on a keyboard whose shift keys don't work. i had to do a lot of copying and pasting, and i had to use caps lock every time i wanted a capital letter. it took a long time -exclamation point-

-echo1317


	9. Chapter 8

A/N I finally figured out what's going to happen! It was really kind of weird, because I was writing a letter to my grandma (she likes letters better than e-mails), and I was going to write... actually, I can't tell this story yet because then it will ruin the rest of the story. On with Chapter 8!

* * *

**Chapter 8  
**

When Jace woke up the next morning, he had the horrible feeling that he had done something very bad. Unfortunately, that feeling only lasted a second, because what came next was a headache worse than any he had had in a very long time. He groaned and rolled over, suddenly realizing he was in a large bed, rather than thee roof, where he last remembered being. He also noticed that his shirt and pants had disappeared, which worried him even more than the hangover.

The door flew open, and a figure with tall, pointed hair swept through the room, throwing the curtains open to reveal a large window. Light spilled in and Jace covered his head with the blanket, cursing the sparkly warlock, who's sequined shirt was just making things brighter.

"Rise and shine, shadowhunter!" Magnus said cheerfully, "I want you out of my house within the hour!"

"Fine," Jace mumbled, "But first tell me where my cloths are. Did you...?"

"No, no, you filthy boy!" He said reproachfully, "_You _decided to strip. Right before you sang part of the Annie soundtrack." Jace felt his face get hot as Magnus tossed him a small bundle of cloth, which he unfolded quickly. Magnus strutted out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

When Jace exited the room, he found that he actually had no idea how to get out of the apartment. He walked through hallway after hallway, marveling at just how big the place was. After several wrong turns, he finally managed to get to the kitchen, where there was a note on the table with his name on it.

_Jace-_

_Got called to a warehouse in Manhattan. Lots of demonic activity. Be back soon. Pizza in the fridge if you want it._

_-Rachel_

Jace set the note back down and opened the fridge. He found the pizza and brought it to the table, eating it cold and out of the box. He easily finished off the 5 slices in less that ten minutes, feeling better now that he had food in his stomach. When Magnus came in to get himself a cup of coffee, Jace was still at the table, reading Rachel's note over and over again. He could hardly remember any of what had happened last night, but there was one thing that stuck in his head, repeating like a broken record: _"I think I could love you, Jace; I think I could love you, Jace; I think I could love you, Jace". _It was the last thing he'd heard before he had passed out. _  
_"Did she leave an address? Or tell you where the warehouse was?" Jace asked Magnus, who smirked knowingly. Jace hurried to explain himself, although he wasn't sure why he felt he had to. "I want to make sure she's ok. That there weren't too many demons for her."

Although Magnus knew there was no such thing as 'too many demons' for Rachel, he humored the boy and gave him the address anyway. He _had _heard all of what Rachel said, and he was certain that if this one tried hard enough, he might be able to get through to her.

Jace thanked him, and was quickly on his way to Manhattan. There was nothing that would stop him at this point. He was prepared to do anything to get to her- anything.

* * *

The warehouse was cold and dank, and Rachel was almost certain that there were no demons there. Whoever had called her must have been messing around, because no matter how hard she looked, she could not find a singe trace of even one demon. She let her mind wander for a minute, and she was not surprised that it traveled to a certain gold shadowhunter. She didn't regret what she had told him last night, only that he hadn't been conscious enough to hear it. She had strived her whole life to become a shadowhunter, and she wouldn't let anyone stand in the way. She was not going to make the same mistake as her brother had; letting his personal relationships cloud his mind while the world that he was supposed to be helping to protect was torn apart around him.

Rachel was jarred out of her thoughts by her cell phone ringing. The caller ID stated that it was Robert.

"Speak of the devil," She muttered to herself, flipping the phone open. "Hello?"

"You're not at Magnus's." Robert stated. Rachel decided to have some fun with this comment.

"I'm not? Well then where the hell am I?" She teased, "Of course I'm not at Magnus's. You're there, aren't you? And I am obviously not?"

"You have to tell me where you're going," Robert demanded, "I need to know where you are at all times. What if you get hurt?"

"I'm not going to get hurt," Rachel snorted, "And you ordering me around like that makes me want to follow your instructions even less." Robert sighed, then began speaking in a dangerously calm tone.

"Just tell me where you are. I'll come get you."

Since there was nothing here anyway, and she didn't have any money for the cab ride home, she told Robert where she was.

"I'll be there soon. Don't go anywhere, ok? I lov- "

Rachel hung up before he could finish his sentence.

* * *

Poor Robert. Why does his sister hate him so much? Sorry if this chapter is a little short, and the next one is too, but I already wrote chapter 10, and these are just fillers.

-Echo1317


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N** I just wanted to quickly clarify why Rachel hates Robert so much, but keep in mind that this is the very condensed version, the whole thing is coming up later in the companion piece I wrote: She doesn't exactly hate him hate him, she still loves him in that whole 'you're my brother, I have to love you' kind of way. She holds a grudge against him because he never wanted her to become a Shadowhunter, and he did almost everything he could to prevent it from happening, even though he knew that it was the only thing she'd ever wanted. She's also trying to push him away because she is afraid to care for people. She saw what it did to him, when their mom started drinking, because when he was taking care of her, he wasn't doing his work for the Clave, and they kicked him out. She thinks that the same thing is going to happen to her if she cares for anyone. Yeah, their relationship is pretty messed up.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

When Jace got to the warehouse, it was eerily calm. It was hard to believe that there had ever been any demons there at all, but he was sure Rachel had wiped them all out already. He walked inside, expecting to find no one, but Rachel was sitting on one of the dusty crates looking bored. When she saw him, she sat straight up, her face going pale. She was defiantly not happy to see him.

"Magnus told you I was here, didn't he?" She inquired softly, "That bastard. I specifically told him not to let you follow me."

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything," Jace said sourly, offended by her tone, "But we need to talk."

"You sound like a girl," Rachel told him. Her words were harsh but gentle at the same time, like she was trying to tell him something not so nice in a nice way. She wasn't doing very well so far.

Jace sat down beside her, tentatively reaching for her hand, which was resting on the box. She tensed, but let him hold her hand, and relaxed after a few moments.

"See," He said, smiling ever so slightly, "Not so bad, right?"

"I guess," Rachel whispered. Her voice still echoed in the largely empty building. Jace stared at her longingly, and she returned his gaze, with a softness in her eyes that he had never seen before. It was slightly refreshing for him to know that she wasn't as tough as she let everyone think.

"About last night," Jace began quietly, and Rachel cringed, "Rachel, I think I love- "

"Don't," She interjected, "Please don't. It will just make everything harder."

"Make what harder?" He asked, genuinely confused. So he really hadn't heard what else she had said last night. She could feel tears in her eyes again, and she fought against them to make her voice steady.

"You don't remember," She told him softly, looking away, at anything but him, "But there was more to what I said. I said that I love you-" Jace's heart leapt, "-But that I can't be with you. I can't care about people, ok? Not now, not ever."

His heart sank. Somehow, it hurt worse to know that she wasn't going to be with him even though she returned his feelings. He suddenly felt like the world had crashed down around them, but no one else had noticed. He was walking through a fog, he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face, all he could see was her, her walking away from him, and not being able to catch up no matter how fast he ran.

"Why?" He whispered softly, not able to stop his voice from quivering.

"Because," She said, withdrawing her hand from his and folding it with her other in her lap, "If I get close to you, it'll hurt that much more when I lose you."

Jace winced. She was afraid of losing him. It made sense. She had lost her parents, her friends, her home. All she had was her brother and Magnus, and she wasn't even all that good to Robert. She drew away from everyone who had a lifespan, everyone who could be taken away from her.

"What makes you think you're going to lose me?" He asked, reaching up to stroke her cheek with his thumb. Her skin was cool and smooth, and she shivered.

"I know who you are, Jace Wayland," She said, almost coldly, "You'll get bored. You always do. And when you're gone, I won't be able to go as well. It's just logic. You have a pattern. You-"

But she never got to finish her thought, because Jace's mouth was suddenly on hers, his lips moving urgently. She let herself go for a brief second, even though it felt like an eternity. She knotted her fingers in his hair and he pulled her against himself, holding onto her hips with his calloused hands. When she pulled away, she didn't get very far, because he held her in place, pressing his forehead lightly against hers, catching his breath slowly.

"You've got to stop thinking with your head," Jace told her, feeling like he was on cloud nine, "Logic is useless in these types of situations."  
They held onto each other like that for a very long time. Both felt safe, at home, like nothing could ever hurt them if they just stayed like that forever.

A small snarl brought the two love birds back to reality, and they turned to see a pack of huge, lizard like demons crowded around them. Rachel's eyes widened, and Jace's mouth hung open.

"Oh, shit," She muttered, pulling herself out of his arms.

"Well," He said, grasping for the handle of the Seraph blade at his side, "Isn't this just our luck."

* * *

Whoa, two chapters in one day! I am on a roll with this, huh? The tenth chapter will probably be up tomorrow or Wednesday (tomorrow is Tuesday, right?). Stay tuned to find out what's in store for Rachel and Jace...

-Echo1317


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N** I am very tired, but I had to put this up, because this was a hard chapter for me to write. I do realize it's kind of short. Don't hate me too much for what happens, but I am about to give you the final, definitive reason that Rachel and Jace cannot be together.

* * *

**Chapter 10**

When the demons attacked, they came on fast, and they came on hard. Jace was knocked off his feet by one, but he swiftly drew out his blade and stabbed it. Rachel was all over the demons in an instant, like the kiss they shared never happened. She was in fight mode now. Her weapons sliced through the air faster than their targets were coming. One got through somehow and sliced her shoulder with it's claws, leaving a long gash on her skin. Her face contorted in pain and she let out a muffled scream, but she kept fighting. Her arms still moved at an incredible speed.

"Are you alright?" Jace called out to her over the noise of the demons, knowing full well that she wasn't. She glanced over at him, her vision already beginning to blur from the rapidly spreading demon poison.

"I will be, we just need to- argh!" Rachel stopped short, and Jace looked on in horror as one of the lesser demons jumped at her from the side. He dropped his Seraph blade and ran to her, ramming the demon with a dagger. It screeched loudly, then folded in on itself.

"Behind you!" Rachel screamed, pointing to a demon that was headed directly for them. Both rolled out of the way just in time. But, before either could react further, the blade that Jace had dropped came whizzing though the air, impaling the demon. When they looked to see who had thrown it, a dumbstruck Robert Chase was staring straight at the spot where the thing had just been.

"You have the Sight," Rachel whispered. Jace could barely hear her over the roars of the new demons, which were spilling in through the high windows over head. He pulled a second blade from his belt, then tossed the first back to Robert, who caught it expertly.

"You ready for a fight? It's all or nothing now!" He said to the doctor, who nodded once. A new light came into the dark place, sending the demons scattering, as Alec, Isabelle, and Magnus ran in through the large door.

"Didn't think you could get away with having all the fun without us, did you?" Isabelle smirked at Jace, her long, gold whip coiled at her side. He rolled his eyes.

In the furry of demons and weapons, no one could really tell who was where or what was what. Jace was almost struck several times by Robert, who seemed to be getting used to holding a blade again. Alec and Jace moved together like it was a well choreographed performance, ducking and weaving in perfect harmony. Magnus sent blue sparks everywhere, hitting the demons with a force strong enough to knock an army to their knees. Isabelle looked like an angel of death, kicking her stilettos at anything that came near her, and bringing her whip to anything else within her reach.

Before long, the demons had all evaporated back to their own dimensions, and it was just the people who belonged there who stood in the warehouse. Jace looked around in triumph. They had killed what had seemed like every demon in the entire state of New York, although he knew that they had only dealt with a handful of them. For now, at least, this place was secure.

"No!"

The scream came from behind a large stack of crates that no one had been around for a while. Jace did a quick head count as he rushed over; Alec, Isabelle, Magnus-

But the Chase's weren't with him.

When he rounded the corner, he stopped in his tracks. He had been wrong before, to think that the world was falling apart then, because this was what true pain felt like. All he could do was stare, and feel nothing, just the numbness of not believing what he was seeing. Nothing had ever done this to him before, and he was sure that nothing would ever do this to him again. It was surreal, like he was looking at the scene from someone else's perspective. It didn't quite register in his head right, all he could hear was sobbing and the voice in his head telling him to look away, because it wasn't real, it couldn't be real…

Around the side of the crates, Robert held a small, fragile looking body in his arms. The girl looked to be around sixteen, and she had short dark hair, which at the moment was matted with blood, and striking hazel eyes that now stared into the nothingness that only the dead can see.

* * *

I almost cried, which is really saying something because I almost never cry. Just ask my friends, they'll tell you. Please review, even if it's just to tell me how much you hate me and this story, and the face that I killed Rachel.

-Echo1317


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N** Ok, so what I had mentioned in the note in chapter 9 (was it nine? i don't remember) about the letter. See, I was writing to my grandma about how much I loved this vaca I am on, and I was going to write 'Maybe I ought to move here', but what popped into my head was, 'Maybe I ought to kill her'. Kinda creepy, I know. But that was the only way I could see to end this story right. I am very sorry that I had to kill off Rachel, she was one of my best OCs, but keep this in mind: just because she'd dead doesn't mean we'll never see her again. I've already got an idea for a sequel to this story. I'm not sure how exactly it's going to work, but I have ideas, and pretty damn good ones at that. Again, I apologize for her death.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

They could've been standing there for hours. It felt like days. For all Jace knew, it could've been. It didn't seem to matter much. All he could see was Rachel, bloodied and broken in her brother's arms. No one spoke, no one did anything except breathe, they just stared. It was the first time that Alec and Isabelle had lost anyone in a battle that they had participated in, and neither was quite sure how to deal with it. Magnus had seen plenty of Shadowhunters fall, some even at his own hand,, but none had ever mattered to him as Rachel did. It hurt him in a way he didn't even know he could be hurt.

Jace took a step forward and fell to his knees in front of Robert. He brought his hand slowly up to Rachel's face, gently stroking her cool cheek. Robert seemed to be pulled out of his bubble, and he jerked Rachel away from Jace.

"Don't touch her," He growled, "Don't you dare touch her, you son of a bitch!" Jace moved sharply back, avoiding Robert's accusing glare. "This is all your fault! If she hadn't been trying to avoid you, she never would've been in New York, she never would've had to answer that call, she never would've-" He was choked off by a sob, tears falling down his face rapidly. He clung tightly to his sister. He had always known that this was how she would die; this was why he hadn't wanted her to become a Shadowhunter. He had lost everything now, he couldn't get a firm grip on reality, all he could think was that she was dead and he was alone.

Jace scrambled up off the floor, tripping over his feet as he tried to run. Alec caught him and tried to keep him there, but Jace wrenched himself out of his brother's grasp, stumbling and running, trying to get as far away from there as possible. He faintly heard someone call after him, but he didn't turn around, he just ran. Maybe if he ran hard enough he could go back in time, get her out of there before the demons attacked, rescue her, save her.

He didn't know where he was going or where he was. He bumped into numerous people, most of which shouted to watch where he was going, but he couldn't really listen to them. Not now. Not now when everything was falling to pieces around him. Not now that she was dead, dead and gone, never coming back...

Quite some time after he started running, Jace fell into a heap on the grass, crying and yelling and cursing whatever god was there to listen to him, not caring whether people were staring at him. Eventually, he felt someone lift him up, and carry him to a waiting car. He wasn't sure who it was who pulled him into their lap and stroked his hair, who gently whispered in his ear while he sobbed into their chest. The last thing he remembered before he fell into an exhausted sleep was a familiar pair of hands tucking the blankets up around him.

* * *

"Do you think he'll be ok?" Alec asked his sister softly. She was lying on the bed next to Jace, who they had found on the ground in a park quite a ways away from the warehouse. She petted his head comfortingly as he whimpered in his sleep.

"I don't know," Isabelle said, equally quiet, "He really liked her. I think he loved her even." Alec made a confused face at her.

"How could he have loved her? He only knew her for three days," He inquired skeptically. Isabelle gave him a small smile, then returned her eyes to Jace.

"Sometimes that's all it takes," She explained in a whisper. Jace rolled, still sleeping, and now he was facing her. He curled up under the covers, like he was trying to fold in on himself. She put her arm around him and rubbed his back soothingly. Alec moved from the place he was leaning against the wall to sit next to the bed. He looked up at Isabelle, who was still staring at Jace with concern.

"What happens now?" Alec asked her, bringing his knees up to his chin and wrapping his arm around his legs. She inhaled deeply, and then sighed, trying to find a suitable answer. Even though he was older, it seemed like Alec was always looking for her to reassure him, to tell him that everything would be ok.

"We try to move on," She said slowly, "We help him in any way we can. And we stick together- even if he doesn't want us around, we have to be there for him."

Alec nodded carefully. The silence was calm now, but the air still swirled with sadness and anger. If this was what had to be done, so be it. If they had to stay with him here until he fell asleep every night, then that was what they would do. They were a real family. Even if they were just shattered pieces of who they used to be.

* * *

This was a bad chapter, I know. There are still a couple more I have to type up (if anyone is still reading this after what I did).

-Echo1317


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N** One more chapter ought to do it, I think. I have been trying to deal with some really hard thoughts and interactions right now, and I need to distract myself. Sorry if this is crap, but I felt like I had to write something.

* * *

**Chapter 12**  
It was going back to work that really made Robert snap.

"Hey, is everything ok? You look kind of down," Cameron said to him the day he came back. He hadn't yet shared with his colleagues the recent tragedy that had occurred, even though he had been gone for a week and everyone knew something was wrong. He knew he would have to tell them eventually, and now was as good a time as any.

"Rachel..." Robert managed to say, feeling like he was choking, "She died last week. A car accident in New York when she was visiting a family friend."

Cameron looked shocked to say the least. They sat there uncomfortably for a moment, and then Cameron stood up and walked around the glass table to where Chase was sitting. She gave him an awkward hug, and at the worst possible moment, too, because that was when House came in, giving him an ample opportunity to make a joke about them.

"Oh, are you two finally going public?" House asked rudely, "I've been dying for this to happen for ages. What's you're new name? Robison? **(A/N Robert and Alison)** Case? **(A/N Cameron and Chase, sorry)**"

"Rachel died, at least be nice to him for a while," Cameron scolded hotly, walking back to her seat. House looked up from the file he had been looking at, taken aback by the sudden news.

"In that case, I can genuinely say I'm sorry," House muttered, not looking at Chase, "Do you need more time off? Last time this happened, you killed someone."

Chase felt his face getting hot. His temper had been flaring up more often since… the accident, and he already knew that House was going to get a mouthful before he even opened his mouth.

"You're really going to throw that in my face now? Now, right after my sister has _died_? I knew you were a jackass, but I didn't think you would sink that low," Chase yelled, and House looked up at him, stunned once again, "I am fine to do my job! Don't antagonize me just because you can!"

Chase stormed out of the room in a flurry, knocking down several papers and books as he went. Cameron stood up as if to follow him, then turned back to House.

"You _are_ a jackass," She said angrily, "How could you do that to him? He hates to be reminded of that anyway, but now was defiantly not the time! I know you cared about her just as much as the rest of us." She felt tears in her eyes, but she kept speaking, determined to tell him just what she thought for once. "You try to hide behind all your little jokes and remarks, but there is a person in you somewhere, and you can't deny it forever. Just lay off Chase, ok?"

She left House in the office alone, calling after Chase as she went. House sat down in his desk chair, absorbing all that had happened. He went over it all in his head a few times, to make sure he understood what was going on correctly. Rachel was dead. She was dead. Dead. Dead…

"Hey, would you mind looking over this patient's chart for a sec? I'm not quite sure…" Wilson trailed off, letting the glass door close quietly behind him. He shook his head quickly to make sure he was seeing straight. "Are you _crying_?"

"Close the damn curtains," House commanded gruffly. "It's not like it's a medical marvel."

* * *

So House is crying over Rachel... who would've thought he actually has a heart? I just included this chapter because I wanted there to be something about how Rachel had fit into Robert's work life, and how Robert's work life was affected by her death. It's not very insightful, but I thought it was ok. It's short, too. I guess I've been getting lazy.

-Echo1317


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N** Sorry it's taken a few days to update! I got back from my trip on Thursday and I had a little trouble getting into the whole 'unpacking' thing. I hate it when vacations end. Plus, my mother said no computer till I unpacked. Which I finally did this morning. But I do have some good news- I got a laptop! So now I can update any time, any where! I am so excited. : )

Anyway, on with the story! This is a weird chapter, but I think it's ok.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Robert stormed away in a hurry, headed for the cafeteria. Maybe if he had some food, he could get a better hold on his temper. He hadn't actually had a decent meal since… the accident, as he preferred to call it. When he opened the door to the stairwell, he was greeted by a familiar, if unwelcome, face.

"Maryse?" Robert said incredulously, stopping quickly before he ran headlong into the Shadowhunter woman. She smiled at him fondly, but with a sorrow in her eyes. So she knew what had happened. She had probably heard it from her children.

"Robert!" Maryse said, embracing Robert fondly. He was too shocked to utter anything but her name. When she released him, she kept her hands on his shoulders, holding him at arms length to get a better look at him. She took in his ragged appearance, how thin and tired he looked, and she shook her head. "I am so sorry about your sister."

She hugged him to her again, patting his head like a mother comforting her son. In a way, he was almost like her son. The Lightwood's and the Chase's had been friends for quite some years, although they hardly ever spoke anymore. This was, of course, at the request of Robert, who didn't want Rachel to associate with Shadowhunter children her own age. Maryse understood this, and they respected his wishes, and never breathed a word of Robert or Rachel to Alec, Isabelle, and Jace. Rachel never heard of them either.

"W-what are you doing here, Maryse?" Robert asked her when she released him again. She sat down on one of the steps and motioned for him to sit next to her. When he did, she put her arm around him in a comforting way.

"I came to check up on you, dear," She explained. She hesitated a moment before continuing her statement. "And I came to see what you planned to do with Rachel's body."

Robert stiffened. He had brought his sister back to Magnus's apartment, where he had asked the warlock to preserve her body so that he could make the proper arrangements for her. He was planning on a simple, mundane funeral. She would be buried on a plot that Robert had purchased a few days after she died. It was a double plot*, where he would be buried as well when he died. The arrangements had been made, and even though he was sure someone from the Clave would come to try and talk him into something else.

"I'm putting her in the ground where she belongs," He told her stonily, "That's all there is to it."

"But Robert," Maryse sighed, hanging her head low, "She died in battle. She ought to be put to rest in the Bone City."

"Absolutely not!" Robert yelled, yanking himself away from her. He stood and began to walk away.

"It's what she would have wanted," She reminded him in her most commanding voice. Robert stopped, closing his eyes. He had one hand on the door; he intended to make this short.

"I am not giving her up to them," He told her without turning around, "It doesn't matter if she would've wanted it. She hasn't got a say in any of it now." Maryse was shocked by how Robert was going about explaining his reasoning. He couldn't possibly think that the Clave would let him keep Rachel in a mundane graveyard. It simply wasn't done. "Please, Maryse. Don't make me do this."

She deliberated for a moment before beginning to walk up the stairs. Halfway up, she turned around and stared at Robert's back. She spoke once more, and Robert's hand tightened into a fist.

"It is what she would have wanted."

* * *

*I've got no idea if this is what you call it. Sorry!

*Sigh* Oh, Robert. Please get over the past and do what your sister had always dreamed of. (I personally think he's being too stubborn, but hey, I can't control what the voices tell me!;) Reveiw please! (And thank you!)

-Echo1317


	15. Chapter 14

A/N This is just to give another little insight into how Jace is reacting to everything. It literally came to me in a dream last night, at least the idea for the scene. It's also great for yet another big thing I'm leading up to. Enjoy! : )

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Chapter 14

Jace was laying on the floor of his bedroom when Isabelle found him.

There was blood streaming from the torn up tips of his fingers, and he was nearly unconscious. He had scraped his fingers against the wall until they bled furiously, and he wrote on the wall with the dark red liquid. The scene was ghastly, like something from one of Isabelle's worst nightmares. The blood was everywhere, not just contained to the wall; he had soaked the bed sheets with it, and tried to write runes on his shirt. He looked so lost, curled up and silent, holding his hands away from his as if he couldn't believe what he had done.

"Jace," She said quietly, kneeling down next to him and gently grasping his injured hands. She inspected them carefully, making sure he hadn't hurt himself too badly. "Why did you do this, Jace?"

"I had to tell her," He mumbled, not looking at her. She helped lift him to his feet, and she led him to the infirmary. Alec was there, trying to find a band-aid for the cut he had accidentally given himself when he was trying to cook. Upon seeing how Jace had cut up his fingertips, he stopped and rushed to his brother's side.

"What happened?" He asked hotly, "Is he ok? What did he do to himself?"

"Calm down, Alec," Isabelle said smoothly, sitting Jace down on one of the many beds. He was still inspecting his hands, as if trying to remember how they had gotten that way. Isabelle briefly explained how she had found him, and Alec was quite a bit paler by the end of her story.

"What did he write?" He asked his sister, and she shrugged.

"I didn't look," She snapped at him, "I was a little too busy trying to, I don't know, get make sure he didn't bleed to death!"

"Izzy," Alec said in a warning tone. She sighed through her nose and closed her eyes, turning away from him. He laid his hand on her shoulder in a comforting way, trying to calm her down.

"Sorry," She mumbled, opening her eyes and glancing over at Jace. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed now with his newly bandaged hands in his lap, staring out the window. "He just looked so, so…""I know," Alec whispered, "He'll be ok one day. I'm going to go check out his room. Will you be ok with him?"

Isabelle nodded her head and went to sit next to Jace, leaning her head on his shoulder. Alec walked quietly down the hall, until he got to Jace's open door. He opened it further, and took in the mess that had been created. There was a white shirt thrown in the corner, and when he picked it up he found that it, too, was stained red. It looked like Jace had been trying to draw runes on it, perhaps like the ones on normal Shadowhunter funeral attire. Alec sighed, unable to wrap his head around the new Jace.

He was almost comatose, at times, but then he would fly into a rage, suddenly throwing a vase or some other breakable object against a wall, and shouting as it smashed into a thousand little pieces. He would collapse into tears at times as well, most of the time just out of the blue. He wouldn't sleep or eat much, and either Alec or Isabelle would sit with him into the early hours of the morning, when he would finally drift off and they would cover him in a blanket and leave. The cycle was a horrible one, but one that wouldn't break no matter how hard they tried to snap Jace out of it.

As Alec turned to leave Jace's room, he saw the writing Isabelle had referred to on the wall that the door was on. He shivered as he walked past it, down the hall to get a bucket and a sponge to see if he could wipe the blood off the walls. He could still see the messy scrawl in his head even as he tried to clear it away.

"_This is the way you left me_

_I'm not pretending_

_No hope, no love, no glory_

_No happy ending_

_No happy ending…"_

_

* * *

_Poor Jace. He's gone emo on us, cutting himself up and writing notes to dead people in blood. I'm worried about him.

-Echo1317


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N **Ok, one more chapter today. This is very short, but just one more interaction between Jace and Robert.

**

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**

**Chapter 15**

Jace was standing outside Princeton-Plainsboro teaching hospital for the fourth time in two days. He hadn't yet worked up the nerve to actually go in, and he was sure that the security guards were getting suspicious of him. He knew why he was here, but he didn't know why he was bothering. There was no way Robert was even going to bother speaking to him. But he still had to try, right? It was still worth trying, wasn't it? He knew that Robert hadn't worried Rachel yet. There was a chance. A small chance, but a chance all the same.

He remembered the way to Dr. House's office, where there were three doctors sitting around the glass table, and one at a desk in the corner. He spotted Robert immediately, and bravely opened the glass door. All eyes turned to look at him, and Robert was obviously not happy he was there.

"Get out," Robert said coldly. Jace's expression was blank, as he had kept it for quite some time.

"I just think we should talk," Jace offered smoothly. Robert stood up and pointed to the door.

"I have nothing to say to you," Robert said, "Now get out. I don't want you anywhere near me."

Jace looked at his feet, feeling ashamed of himself for even thinking about confronting Robert. He didn't want to cause much trouble, but this was something he had to do. He had to give her a proper goodbye.

"I just thought that," Jace said quietly, still staring at the floor, "If you hadn't had a service for Rachel yet, that I might come."

Robert just stared at him in shock. His colleagues were looking at the boy, too, quite unaware of who he was. He seemed frightened of Chase, which was something that none of them were used to.

"You honestly think that after everything that you've done, I would let you go to her funeral?" Chase asked in an unbelieving tone, "I would never let you near her again! This was all your fault, and you still have the nerve to come ask me about her again! After I told you to stay away! Even after you got her killed!"

Jace looked up with tears in his eyes. It had been his fault. He knew it had been his fault. It was all his fault. She wouldn't be dead if it wasn't for him, she would be alive and happy. He never should've come to the hospital in the first place and chased her away. He shouldn't have stayed the night. This really _was_ his fault…

_* FLASHBACK*_

_His mother ran away right after he was born. His father said it was because she didn't want to be a mother. She didn't want to have to raise a son. He could see how his father was hurt by this. It was his fault, because he was her son. It was his fault._

_His father yelled something he couldn't hear. From inside the closet everything was muffled. He saw the shadows on the ground as his father and the strange men came closer to where he was hiding. He was paralyzed by fear, he couldn't have moved even if he wanted to. There was the sound of a sword being unsheathed, then the sickening squelching noise, like when his father would kill a deer when they were hunting. Someone fell to the floor, but he kept still, even as the men left and his father's blood stained his shoes. It was his fault because he couldn't defend his father. It was his fault. It was his fault._

_*END PLASHBACK*_

Like so many times before, it was Jace's fault that someone was gone. His fault that someone got hurt. His fault. He knew it was. It had to be. Who else was there to blame? Robert was right. He was the reason Rachel was dead.

"I'm sorry," Jace whispered, tears streaming down his face. He turned and ran out the door, with House's team watching him go in shock.

"Well," House said, finally breaking the silence, "Who's the jackass now?"

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Jeez, Chase, you made the kid cry! That can't be good. Sorry that this is so short and crappy, but I wanted to put this up quickly. I'm almost finished with this story, it's only got about three or four chapters left. And then there's the possiblility of a sequel...

-Echo1317


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Robert, you are an idiot. Did you not know that? Or did you choose to ignore it before saying exactly what was on your mind?" Magnus asked dryly, "You made the poor boy cry, for God's sake!"

Robert looked at his feet. He was sitting on the couch in Magnus's apartment, waiting for him to finish whatever it was he was doing with Rachel's body. Robert had asked him to preserve it magically, so that he wouldn't have to deal with all of the arrangements immediately. He just needed more time.

"Maybe I shouldn't have told him it was his fault," Robert muttered, "But it was wasn't it?"

"Believe what you want, Robert," Magnus sighed, rushing around the living room tidying things up like his life depended on it. He had become unusually cleanly since Rachel had died; Robert thought maybe it was because Rachel had done most of the cleaning in there so that Magnus could actually find what he needed when he needed it. "Just don't take it out on everyone around you. If you keep this up, eventually you really will be alone."Alone.

The word scared him. He had never been alone. Not really. He had always had someone he could turn to, someone who was always right there. While he and Magnus were good friends, he knew that this was one space he could not fill, because he didn't get it. When Robert was really alone, he let his mind wander into dark and destructive territory. It frightened him.

"You'll be alright one day," Magnus told him, gently placing his hand on Robert's shoulder. Maybe he would be ok. If he could say goodbye to her, then maybe he could move on.

It was what she would've wanted, right? To be buried like a Shadowhunter? In the same plot as her parents, even if she had hated them as much as Robert had? He knew Maryse had been right all along.

His only regret was that he couldn't go back to Idris to see that she got there safely.

* * *

"I don't think we really have a choice, Izzy," Alec said softly. His sister glared at him, pacing the floor in front of his bed.

"We can't do that to him. It's not fair," She protested weakly. Alec sighed and rubbed his head with his hand, trying to sooth a headache that had been steadily growing for the past few days.

"Is letting him suffer like this fair?" He asked her, and she winced, "Is watching him suffer like this fair?"

Isabelle shook her head, folding her arms across her chest. He couldn't possibly think that this was the only way.

"We can't," She said again.

"What happens when mom and dad get home? Tell me that. What happens when they find him like this? What are we supposed to tell them?" Alec said coolly, "That he fell in love with a girl who died three days after he met her, and now he's going crazy because of it? I don't think that's going to sit very well with them."

"He's not going to like it," Isabelle reminded him, staring out the window with her back to him.

"I didn't think he would," Alec said, sighing, "That's why we're not going to tell him."Isabelle whipped around, her eyes narrowed. Now that was low.

"He has a right to at least know what we're doing," She said angrily.

"If he knows, he won't cooperate," Alec whispered, "But I've already made the arrangements with Magnus. He's done this kind of thing before, but only once this powerfully, he told me."

"Alec," Isabelle said, her voice cracking because of the tears in her eyes. He got up and wrapped his arms around her comfortingly.

"We have to erase that part of his memory," He said quietly, rubbing her back as she cried into his shirt, "It's the only way we can all move on."

* * *

What the what?!?! They're going to erase his memory?!?! Uh oh...

-Echo1317


	18. Chapter 17

I apologize for not updating for few days, I was without internet because I was at my grandparent's house, and all of my documents are on my laptop, where I could not get to the internet from! I was about to go insane, I swear. But here's chapter 17!

Also, I am sorry Auralee, but it isn't Wilson who has the Planet Of The Apes poster behind his door. Keep guessing, though! I'm glad someone finally has. : )

**Chapter 17**

"Just… be careful with her, ok?" Robert said to Magnus quietly. The warlock and the former Shadowhunter were standing outside the portal at Renwick's, a body in a wooden box at their feet. Magnus looked sadly at the other man, who appeared to be on the verge of tears. This was his final goodbye to his sister, which was extremely hard, he knew. There was nothing in life that could prepare anyone for that final goodbye, it was always a heart breaking thing, especially when you had to bury someone that you had expected to outlive you.

"I will," Magnus promised, attempting not to tear up himself.

They had gotten permission from the Clave for Magnus to enter Idris to bring Rachel's body to the Glass City. At least he would get to be there for the funeral, if Robert couldn't. It had taken him quite a while to come to the actual decision of putting her to rest in the Bone City, and he still didn't really want to.

"What made you finally decide to let her go?" Magnus asked in a soft voice. Robert sighed.

"It was the only thing I could think to do," He said, "To make it up to her. For not listening to her, or being there for her. For every lie, every time we fought, and every time I wasn't there for her. For not being able to save her." He took a shaky breath. "I should've been able to save her."

"You were an amazing brother," Magnus assured him, "She respected you more than you realize. When she was small, she used to tell me that you were her hero."

Robert laughed humorlessly. He somehow couldn't believe that his sister had ever looked up to him in any way. She shouldn't have. He wasn't good enough to be her hero.

"She loved you very much," Magnus told him quietly, picking up the surprisingly light box, "I'll see you when I get back."

"Goodbye, Rachel," Robert whispered, barely able to keep his voice steady as tears streamed down his face, "Be safe."

* * *

"Yeah, mom, I'll see you then. Love you, too. Mmm-hhhmmm. Bye," Isabelle sighed, hanging up the phone. She turned to Alec, who had been waiting anxiously for her to finish the call. She looked at him worriedly.

"So? What did she say? When are they coming back?" Alec asked, nervously playing with the frayed hem of his sweater. Isabelle chewed her nails, a new habit she had developed recently.

"They'll be here in five days," She told him, "They have some kind of meeting or something that they have to go to tomorrow, and then they'll finish up some stuff and come as quickly as they can."

"Damn," Alec muttered, "I thought we'd have more time. Where's Hodge?"

"In the library? I don't know," She said quickly, pacing again. They had been keeping Hodge away from Jace, a trying task, but they had somehow managed to do it without making him too suspicious.

"We need to get Jace to Magnus in the next few days," Alec said, mostly to himself.

"Of course," Isabelle said shrilly, "But he'll be in Idris for another two days for the funeral."

"We'll still have time," Alec said, looking out the window behind Isabelle, "I'll leave him a message tonight, and drop by on Monday, when he gets back."

Moonlight spilled in through the window, casting shadows that made the Lightwood children look years older. They were tired and hurt, much more so than anyone their age ought to be, and as Church gazed at them from the doorway, he could've sworn he was looking at their parents sixteen years ago.

* * *

Well, good for Robert. He finally decided to let Rachel have what she wanted, and for the first time, he did it willingly! That is like a huge step for him (this might make more sense later when I put up my companion piece). Izzy gets kind of OOC because she's all stressed, and she worries a whole lot more. I hopw this chapter was ok, because the next one is the last!

-Echo1317

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	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Magnus sensed that there was someone in his apartment before he opened the door. He switched on the light and saw the young Shadowhunters he had come to be acquainted with in the past few weeks, and he frowned. He had seen enough Shadowhunters this week to last him a life time without these three breaking into his house!

"What do you want now?" He asked impatiently, "I don't have time for your stupid little games. I- " Magnus stopped abruptly as he noticed that Jace's hands were in bandages. His curiosity got the better of him. "What happened to his hands?"

"He grated them against a brick wall until they bled," Isabelle said solemnly. Magnus shook his head, unable to understand why anyone, insane Shadowhunter or not, might do that.

"We came to ask you to do something for us," Alec told him quietly. Magnus's frown deepened. These brats had the nerve to ask him to do something for them? Absolutely not.

"You don't think I'm just going to do you a favor, do you?" Magnus said, crossing his arms over his chest and tapping his foot.

"We will, of course, be paying you for your services," Isabelle mentioned, flashing him a hundred watt smile that was obviously fake. Magnus perked up, however, at the mention of payment. He sighed and sat down lazily in a fluffy armchair.

"Fine. What do you need me to do?" He asked uninterestedly.

"You and I talked about this the other day, when I called," Alec explained, "We need you to erase Jace's memory."

"Yes, yes, that's fine," Magnus muttered. Jace seemed to perk up slightly at the mention of his name, but he still gazed ahead of him at nothing, still had the glazed look in his eyes of someone who is not truly there. "Why, may I ask?"

"You can see why," Isabelle said quietly, looking at Jace sadly. She gently kissed his cheek, stroking his blond hair fondly. He didn't react.

"Aha," Magnus rose and went to his room, gathering up one of his most powerful spell books. When he made his way back to the living room, he found Alec trying to comfort his sister, who was trying very hard not to cry, and unfortunately not succeeding. Magnus quickly grabbed a tissue and thrust it at her.

"Are you sure you want me to do this?" Magnus asked them seriously, "Once I perform the spell, it cannot be reversed, and it will have to be performed once every two years or the memories will come back on their own."

"Yes," Isabelle nodded, drying her eyes hastily, "We don't care what it takes. Do whatever you have to to make him better."

Magnus nodded. He rolled up his sleeves, and set to work.

* * *

When Jace woke up, he had no idea where he was. He sat up in the unfamiliar bed, looking around wildly.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," Alec said, pushing him back down. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I feel just peachy," Jace replied sarcastically, "Except I have several aching lacerations on my hands, a cut on my head that appears to be on fire, and a pain in my ass that goes by the name of Lightwood."

Alec laughed and hugged Jace fiercely. He couldn't remember a time he had ever been happier to hear him make some sort of smart ass retort or comment. In fact, he had almost never been happy when Jace did that.

"What happened?" Jace asked after he was released. Alec was suddenly serious, and Jace knew it had to be something bad.

"There was a call about a hoard of demons in a warehouse in Manhattan, and you went alone," Alec told him, "Idiotically, I might add. There were too many and you got hurt very badly. We got there before they could finish you off. We brought you to Magnus Bane's apartment so he could heal you. You've been out for a week," He trailed off nervously, "How much do you remember?""Almost nothing," Jace answered, shaking his head, "I remember one demon picking me up and swinging me by my ankle, and then… nothing."

Alec sighed in relief. It had worked, thank the Angel. Isabelle entered the room just then, a mug of coffee in her hands, which she dropped upon seeing Jace sitting up. She rushed to envelope him in a monster hug.

"Izzy- can't- breathe-" Jace managed to gasp, and she released him from her chokehold. There were tears running down her face, and Jace frowned. "Hey, I didn't think I looked that bad after I just woke up."

Isabelle laughed and hit him playfully on the arm before hugging him again. She glanced at Alec, who smiled at her. This was the beginning of something good, and there was no doubt that they would take every day like it was something to be happy about. Now that they had seen the way things could be, and they had every intention to keep that from happening ever again. This was a fresh start.

It was all or nothing now. And each of them were going to give it their all.

FIN

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Sigh, the last chapter is done. I'm so sad! I hope you all enjoyed reading this, I know I had one hell of a good time writing it. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I love you guys!!!

-Echo1317

P.S. In the next few weeks, please be on the lookout for the sequel to All Or Nothing, a piece I like to call Now Or Never...

P.P.S. Also, I may as well tell you, it was Liz Lemon on 30 Rock who had the French Planet of the Apes poster on her wall. : )


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